East Central Reporter

Coles County spent $3,810,938 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 27.5% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 25.4% of all spending for sports teams at the two universities in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Coles County have grown 19% since 2010.

College football is one of the biggest sports in the U.S., with some college teams eclipsing NFL teams in terms of attendance and profit.

In 2022, after a decades-long fight, student athletes nationwide gained the right to profit from their names, likenesses, and images as a result of a flurry of new state laws and an NCAA policy change.

Year	Football Team's Expenditures	% from grand total sport team expenditures
2023	$3,810,938	25.4%
2022	$2,989,810	19.5%
2021	$2,794,234	22.1%
2020	$2,988,986	23.8%
2019	$2,971,448	22%